The Red Notebook is the kind of book that will leave a smile on your face as you turn the last page.  It is a truly lovely story and a satisfying read.  The love story between Laure and Laurent is beautiful and the kind of love we all hope to have or find some day.  

Laurent comes across an abandoned handbag which he believes must have been stolen.  He can't help but feel he should try to return the bag and its contents to its owner.  He has so few clues to go on and the task seems impossible, but miracles do happen.  

I was completely transported and caught up in this tale.  The Red Notebook is a sweet heartwarming story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was definitely time well spent.  

I received this book from Gallic Books through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

I'll See You in Paris took me on a wonderful adventure from the rolling landscape of a horse farm in the United States, to the charming town of Banbury and then later to Paris.  Annie is newly engaged to Eric, a soldier who has just shipped out to Afghanistan.  Her mother, Laurel, isn't a strong supporter of the upcoming marriage, and has also been very aloof when it comes to her past and Annie's father.  The night before Annie and Laurel leave for a trip to England, Annie finds Laurel looking through an old book.  Annie wonders why her mother has held on to this book for so long.  She takes the  book with her in hopes of learning more about Laurel and her secrets.  The book is about the life and times of the Duchess of Marlborough and while Laurel discounts what the book means to her, Annie finds a local willing to provide more details about the story.

I truly enjoyed this book and the varied characters, time periods and settings.  I could envision exactly what the Grange, the rundown estate where much of the book takes place, would look, smell and feel like.  The Duchess of Marlborough was such an outlandish character in the book that I was stunned to read in the author's note that the Duchess of Marlborough was in fact a real person and many of the items included in the book are historically accurate.  Finding that out made me want to turn around and read the book all over again.  

I'll See You in Paris would make a great book club selection and the discussion could be enhanced by including some of the real life background of the Duchess of Marlborough.  

I received this book from St. Martin's Press, Thomas Dunne Book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

I loved this enchanting tale of two women, decades apart, but connected by the secrets of Black Rabbit Hall.  

Amber Alton loves her perfect holidays and summers at Black Rabbit Hall, her family's country estate, until the unthinkable happens.  Amber's life, and that of her siblings, changes in an instant.   

Several decades later, Lorna feels inexplicably drawn to Black Rabbit Hall and decides it would be the perfect venue for her wedding.  In its current rundown condition, her fiancee cannot understand why Lorna is so transfixed by it.  Lorna cannot shake the feeling that she has some connection to Black Rabbit Hall.    

This debut novel is reminiscent of Kate Morton's novels, and I loved every minute of it.   I was thoroughly transported to Black Rabbit Hall and could almost feel the sand in my toes as the children played on the beach.  I didn't want to see the story end and I guess I too felt drawn to Black Rabbit Hall and all the characters in the story.   I hope to read much more by Eve Chase and highly recommend Black Rabbit Hall.

I received this novel from Penguin Group Putman, G.P. Putnam & Sons through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.   

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is a fantastic musical journey that is well worth the read.  Narrated by music itself along with some interviews from different celebrities and noteworthy people, we learn about the life of Frankie Presto and what a life it was.  The story opens at the funeral of Frankie Presto and Music takes back to the beginning to the night Frankie was born.  

Mitch Albom's storytelling abilities are wonderfully showcased in this novel. You almost have to remind yourself that Frankie is a fictional character and not a real musician.  I would love to have a companion cd with the music from the book.  Several times in the book, the author surprised me with a plot twist or something I just didn't see coming and I love a book that does that.  The story does jump back and forth in time quite a bit so you should prepare yourself for that, but it is such a magical book you will find yourself caught up in Frankie's life and times.  

This was our book club selection and I'm very much looking forward to discussing it together.  

The View from Prince Street weaves the past and present into one intriguing story.  Rae McDonald has been dubbed as a matchmaker with a heart of stone.  Rae's sister Jennifer was killed in a tragic car crash when Rae was just 15 years old.  Rae struggled to deal with the grief and made some questionable choices.  While she has now found success as a therapist, she is still haunted by her past and finds her personal life in shambles.  Lisa Smyth was Jennifer's best friend and was also in the car with Jennifer the night of the tragic accident.  Lisa was never been able to escape the guilt of that terrible event and turned to alcohol to numb her pain.  Now a recovering alcoholic, she has returned to her hometown to care for her aging Aunt Amelia.  Lisa and Rae's paths cross again and they find there is more to each of their stories than the other knew.  The View from Prince Street also includes diary entries from Lisa and Rae's ancestors, showing that history often repeats itself.

The View from Prince Street is a complex multi-layered novel that will keep your interest from the first page to the final page.  While it is a sequel, I had not read the previous novel and believe it could be read as a stand alone book.  After reading it, I do want to read At the Corner of King Street to learn more about these characters.  

I received this book from Penguin Group Berkeley through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

Sara travels all the way from Sweden to Broken Wheel, Iowa to spend holiday with her pen pal Amy only to arrive just after Amy's funeral.  Given this unexpected turn of events, Sara isn't sure what to do but the residents of Broken Wheel are determined to make their only tourist comfortable. Sara decides to honor her friend and give back to the Broken Wheel community by opening a bookstore, which confounds the people of Broken Wheel.  Sara brings something special to Broken Wheel and it doesn't take long for her to shake things up in the small town.

There are several colorful and interesting characters in this book that have their own stories which are just as compelling as the main character's journey.   

All of the characters are richly developed, relatable and unique.  I was very impressed that The Readers of Broken Wheel was the author's debut and felt her writing and story development were excellent.   She captured the small town feel perfectly.  I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Amy's letters which enabled me to identify with her character as well.  The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a feel good book and an enjoyable read.  I would recommend this book for book clubs since there are so many diverse characters to discuss and it is a real tribute to books and reading in general.  

I received this book from Sourcebooks Landmark through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

Detective D.D. Warren is back for another short story by author Lisa Gardner.  D.D. Warren is the lead speaker for a conference of thriller writers and finds the task somewhat daunting.  In typical D.D. Warren style, she presents a case involving 3 Truths and a Lie, challenging the authors to sift through the clues to determine if it is a lie or a truth.  

I enjoyed this short story that I received from Penguin Group Dutton through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  D.D. Warren is a great character and this short story is perfect to whet your appetite for the next installment Find Her coming out in February.